The present invention relates generally to storage area networks (SANs).
A storage area network (SAN), which is generally part of an overall communications network or fabric, is an infrastructure that interconnects storage devices. Often, SANs may include elements such as switches that enable storage communications to occur. Such switches may be arranged to be updated, e.g., may be arranged to receive and substantially implement software updates, while such switches are in use within a SAN.
A SAN may be reconfigured when a software update is implemented with respect to a switch in the SAN. That is, a fabric may reconfigure during a software update on a switch within the fabric. The reconfiguration of the SAN when a software update is implemented, which is often a time-consuming process, effectively updates the state of the interfaces associated with all of the switches in the SAN. Additionally, the reconfiguration of the entire fabric of the SAN each time a software update is implemented substantially ensures that there are no discrepancies between the state of entire fabric and the state stored on a switch which received a software update.